Body or footrest



Feb. 4, 1947. TEMPLE I 2,4152'66 BODY OR FOOT REST Filed March 2'7, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Li M I Feb. 4, 1947. R, R T MPLE 2,415,266

BODY OR FOOT REST Filed March- 27, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Patented Feb. 4, 1947 UNl'l'ED STATES ATENT OFFICE RUDY R FOOTREST Roy B. Temple, Brodnax, Va.

Application March 2'7, 1945, Serial No. 585,079

5 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful device for the comfort aid of bed patients by giving them a means of support and rest in numerous positions in bed as well as providing a limited amount of exercise while still in a prone position.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a simple, light, and inexpensive foot rest and back rest for bed patients adaptable for home as well as for hospital use; second, to provide a device of this character that is adjustable to various lengths and angles to adapt it to persons of different heights; third, to provide means, particularly for use in homes, for suspending and holding tension on a broken leg or hip; and fourth to provide a device or instrument adaptable for use as a table or stand, with particular attention to its use in a sick room but which is adapted for use in other situations.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the description which follows.

Figure 1 is a front view of the device when used as a stand or table,

Figure 2 is a side view of the same,

Figure 3 is a side view with the table top in a lowered position,

Figure t is a detail view of the table top, when the device isused as a table, and of the foot or back rest when used for that purpose.

Figure 5 is a side view of the device when used as either a foot or a back rest, with the back elevated,

Figure 6 is a similar side view showing the back or foot rest portion resting on the bed,

Figure 7 is a side view of the deviceused as a foot rest with the parts in collapsed position,

Figures 8 and 9 are detail views of legs here inaiter described, and

Figure 10 is a side view of the device showing its use for suspending a patients leg 0r foot.

In the drawings numerals i, 2, 3 denote posts or supporting members or connecting members between the legs and the back or foot rest plate. These members are telescopingly arranged to collapse one within the other. Member I slides within member 2, member 2 within member 3, the post 3 being pivotally attached at 6 to a back or foot supporting plate, hereinafter referred to as the back plate 1. Posts I and 2 are held in adjusted position by means of set screws 4 and 5 respectively.

The bottom post is secured to or made integral with a collared portion 8. Legs 9 are secured in holes in the collared portion 8. They may be removable irom the collared portion but preferably are fixed in place, The leg in is removably secured in a hole in the end of the collared portion and is secured therein by means of a set screw H. The leg H] not only may be removed from the collar but may be swung about and secured in any desired position, as is shown, for example, in Figure 5. The legs 9 and ill have rubber or other cushioning nubs it for an obvious purpose.

The back plate l is connected by means of a link i3 with a collar ll, being pivotally attached to said plate I at M and attached to the collar at H5. The collar ii is slidable on the post 3 and is held in adjusted position by means of a set screw 18.

A U-shaped member it, adapted to serve as a prop, is supported on the under side of the back plate 5 in ported lugs 2| and is held in adjusted position by set screws 22. From the construction shown it is apparent that the U-shaped member it may be secured beneath the back plate, as in Figure 6, or. may be projected below or above said plate, as shown in Figures 5 and 10 respectively. Eye portions are provided on the U-shaped member as shown at 28 thru which a cable 28, may extend, the cable having a weight thereon as shown at 21. The cable may be provided with a loop portion to support the leg of a patient as shown in Figure 10,

When the device is used either as a foot or back rest the post I may be removed and a single leg 24 may be adjustably positioned in the post 2 as shown in Figures 6 and 7. The leg 26 has a transversely bent foot portion 25 shaped and dimensioned to engage a bed frame part such as the rail 23 as shown in Figures 6 and '7. This leg may be covered with a suitable rubber or other cushioning element for an obvious purpose. The leg 24 may be adjusted about its axis to throw the foot 25 to the best position to engage the bed rail 23 or equivalent bed portion.

It is obvious that the removable leg portion 24 may be used whenever desired. When the leg portions are to rest against a bed with solid panels at its head and foot the leg portion 1 with the legs 9 and ill will be used. When the end of the bed is of open construction it will be desirable to use the leg portion 25 so that the bent portion 25 may engage over a part of the bed frame, such as rail 23.

It is obvious that the back plate may be adjustedto any angular position. It is to be noted that the leg 2i and posts 2 and .3 complementally form an extensible or telescopic standard or brace by which the back plate may be supported in the 3 several positions illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 19. It is also to be noted that the pivotal connection between this single supporting brace and the back plate, at 6, is not disposed at the center of said plate but is disposed much nearerone edge of the plate than to the opposed edge of the plate. By virtue of thisarrangement, and the extensible prop 19, one may, by merely turning the structure upsid down, get the adjustments shown in Figures 5 and 10. When the parts are adjusted to the position shown in Figure 10, not only does the U-shaped member 19, and cable 28 and weight 21 provide means for maintaining tension upon one limb of a patient but the plate provides a part against which the patient may thrust with his other foot. Thus the patient himself may to a considerable degree increase or decrease the said tension and may exercise his limbs when he desires to do so. 7

While the foot and back rest have been shown in several positions and in several different adjustments it is to be understood that these are but illustrative of the adaptability of the device in-its many uses with bed patients. Other uses and positions will obviously be possible and are held to be within the scope of the invention. To those skilled in the art to which this device pertains other adaptations will be apparent, I, therefore, do not limit my invention to the specific showings but only to the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A back rest for bed patients, comprising a back plate, a telescopic standard pivoted at one end to the rear of said. back plate in such manner as to permit the tilting of the back plate to varying positions of angularity with respect to the vertical, a bed frame engaging foot at the other end of said standard and a prop mounted upon the rear face of the back plate for movement outwardly with respect to said back plate and in a direction to adapt said prop to support the lower'edge of the back plate in a position elevated above the bed.

2. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the pivotal engagement of the standard with the back plate is at a point much nearer one edge of said plate than to the opposite edge of said plate.

3. A structure of the character described, comprising a back plate, a standard pivoted at one of its ends to said plate at a point substantially centrally with respect to the width of said plate but much nearer one edge of said plate than to the opposed edge thereof, said standard comprising a plurality of slidably engaged members, that one of said members, remote from said plate being mounted to turn around the axis of the standard and being provided with a transversely extending foot adjustable with said member around the axis of said standard, said foot having its outer face provided with a concave portion for engaging a member of a bed end to hold the structure in v position upon a'bed.

4. A structure as recited in claim 3, in combination with a prop of U-shape comprising a transverse horizontal member connecting a pair of side members, and means for slidably mounting said side members upon the rear face of the back plate to thereby mount said prop for movement beyond the back plate.

5. A. back rest for bed patients comprising a back plate, means for supporting said back plate in varying positions of angularity with respect to the vertical, said means comprising a standard consisting of a plurality of telescoping parts, means for pivotally connecting one end of said standard to the rearof the back plate at a point much nearer to one edge of said plate than to the opposed edge thereof, and a transverse foot carried by the other end of the standard having a concave cuterface for engaging a bed frame member, said foot extending transversely from the end of said standard and being mounted to swing around the axis of said standard.

' ROY R. TEIWPLE.

EEFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS N umber Name Date 731,206 McLaughlin June 16, 1903 1,797,595 Bishop Apr. 2, 1929 1,564,358 Klein Dec. 8, 1925 2,230,626 Leiter Feb, 4, 1941 931,908 Weld "Aug. 24, 1909 1,404,448 Kroupa Jan. 24, 1922 1,694,095 Du Moulin Dec. 4, 1928 1,134,729 Bradley Apr. 6, 1915 1,361,733 Jones Dec. 7, 1920 1,399,837 Wood 1- Dec. 13, 1921 815,258 Brekke Mar. 13, 1906 1,788,267 Amaral Jan, 6, 1931 1,293,631 Diou Feb. 4, 1919 215,773 Reynolds May 27, 1879 2,957,811 Armstrong Oct. 20, 1936 1,201,595 Kraemer Oct. 17, 1916 861,810 Coblentz July 30, 1907 390,938 Armstrong Oct. 9, 1838 695,949 Sabin Mar. 25, 1902 755,264 Wilcher Mar. 22, 1904 883,325 MacMillan Mar. 31, 1908 608,503 Allen Aug. 2, 1898 

